Today I’d like to take a moment to talk about Erin In The Morning, a source of journalism that you may not have heard of. We all know how difficult it is these days to filter through the avalanche of information that comes at us in our lives. Most of us have specific news sources that we turn to, but there are also the myriad sources and stories that wind up in our news feeds, our social media, or from friends and family. These days, it’s possible to see all of the stories from all of the sources (from the extreme right to the extreme left), or we can shrink our consumption to only a few sources and live in our own personal echo chamber. More and more, it’s up to us to choose a responsible way to inform ourselves about world events, and to decipher who is telling us facts from who is spreading propaganda. This brings me to Erin in the Morning!
Erin Reed is an independent journalist, based in Washington DC, whose work has been cited by the AP, Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and more. She tracks LGBTQIA+ legislation around the country. Erin in the Morning is her news subscription and discussion site that allows folks to access her reporting directly. She is a transgender woman, and her news reporting centers around the facts of legislation and the impact of this legislation on families and individuals.
For people with a non-binary or trans loved one in their lives, or for anyone in the LGBTQIA+ community, it’s especially important to keep track of what laws and actions are affecting safety and human rights. There simply must be reliable, transparent news sources that pay close attention to the civil rights and safety of people in the queer community (and every marginalized community – of course- but we’ll focus on the LGBTQIA+ community here).
What communities are standing up for civil rights?
What is happening with school policies around gender?
What information might be circulated that is blatantly incorrect?
What health care options are available where?
What laws are affecting parents and families of trans kids?
What states are safe for trans people to live in or simply pass though?
All of these questions are hard to ask, and the answers can feel bleak sometimes. But to have a source of news that feels insightful, transparent, and reliable is important for many, and life saving for some.
I will say, up front, that I am not suggesting that Erin in the Morning is not biased toward believing that trans and non-binary people deserve human rights. She is an activist. She wants trans people to have full access to the same rights that cis people have. I will say, though, that her reporting is based on facts, transcripts, and court hearings. This is what I mean by saying that her work is transparent. She will cite every source, include actual transcripts when possible, and provide reliable, non-biased documentation for her headlines.
To me, this is a primary difference between journalism and propaganda. If the reader can follow the sources and come to their own conclusions, this is a source that I will pay attention to. You will not find wild, unsubstantiated claims with Erin in the Morning.
But it’s important to vet your sources thoroughly and to your own satisfaction, so I’ll add another link here: the C.R.A.A.P test! This (rather unfortunately) titled test refers to the Currency of a topic, the Relevance of it to your needs, the Authority of the source, the Accuracy of the reporting, and the Purpose behind the reporting. Apply this to Erin in the Morning and see what you think!
You can get a free subscription to Erin in the Morning, or you can support her work by subscribing through substack. If you want to stay on top of the reality of what trans people are facing in our country currently, I recommend Erin Reed to be one of your sources. Then go from there! Make up your own mind about what information serves you, your family, and your sense of connection to your world.
To understand the wider world around you is to add another layer of support for what might be happening in your state, your neighborhood, and your home. Information is power, and it’s up to us to vet our sources and decide what we want to repeat and recreate in the world. As divided as we might feel these days, we’re truly all connected. Who do we each want to be in that intricate web? Good information is a significant part of that, and it helps us stand tall and grounded in the face of nonsense.
This and so many other resources are available to you through a good coach with a great library of information. As a coach with a passion for helping people navigate the complexity of supporting trans and non-binary youth, I’ve made it part of my mission to best understand not only the emotional journey, but the logistical one as well. Gender is deeply personal, but it’s also legal, political, medical, and relational. These are all areas in which I have supportive, varied information. Want to chat more about it? Make an appointment for a complimentary, 20 minute consultation to see if having a life coach would be helpful for you! You can also check me out at https://nurturelifecoaching.com/about-stephanie-bekooy/
Either way, I wish you empowerment, information, and a strong rooting in your own power!
